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Any boaters experience sabotage off haul rd?

I am inquiring to see if anyone else has ever experienced any form of sabotage or vandalism to their boats or vehicles when hunting the Haul Road? My father met me for a moose/caribou hunt in the vicinity of Cold Foot, and we used his air boat to access hunting opportunities outside of the 5-mile corridor. We talked to one other camp on the way in, but they were the only other hunters we encountered. After 6 days, and successfully harvesting a 58" bull, we came out early to take care of the meat (unusually warm temps were making proper meat care problematic). When we trailered the boat, another hunting party getting ready to launch notiifed us that a group of hunters were very angry about the air boat we were using, and felt that we had ruined their hunt by ferrying the meat by their camp. We thought nothing of this, and after ensuring that the meat was properly cared for, headed north of Atigun Pass to pursue caribou. After an additional 3 days and 7 caribou later, we were eventually headed back to Fairbanks when my father encountered truck problems. After changing 2 fuel filters, we finally limped the truck into Fairbanks before it died. The truck was towed to the Dodge dealership, where the mechanics found at least 5 pounds of sand and gravel in the fuel tank. With the amount of debris, and the size of the gravel, the only explanation is that someone deliberately vandalized the truck for some reason. We are pretty sure that it did not happen while caribou hunting, as another hunting party was camped by our vehicles the whole time, waiting for parts to fix their broken down air boat. So it must have happened while moose hunting. Has anyone else experienced something similar? Were we in the wrong to be using an airboat on the river? Other than ferrying meat and our camp, we tried to stay away from the camp established down stream to avoid disturbing their hunting opportunities.

That's a real shame. I have not encountered anything like that the times I have been caribou hunting north of Atigun Pass. Two times, we left a large tent pitched right at the road, including this last August, where we left our road camp standing for two days while we were spiked out 5 miles. We were a little tepid about getting back to the road camp, but everything was in order. I have heard that the likelihood of your vehicle or other things getting messed up increases as you get closer to Fairbanks.

That's an Insanely Uncool thing to do if it's about your airboat driving by a couple times, etc. Man, I hate vandalism worse than anything.
Maybe as much as those who think they own the river or wilderness, that being said.....

I would say, as someone who has just heard a few airboats drive by that unless you take your headphones off now and then, you are probably not aware of HOW INCREDIBLY LOUD they are. Just imagining, you might not realize if you are driving one all the time. It is actually the kind of noise that infuriates people, especially if passing by their camp. Possibly the kind of "Disturbance" that if accompanied by any kind of "Sorry to disturb you wave and smile" or less, could actually drive someone to the point of acting Insanely Uncool,

Now and then you might want to stand on a river bank and listen without ear protection as yours goes by, just to realize

I'm not living in airboat or even river country anymore so can't say what most think about it but I used to and I know a bit about what's it's like, Hope some others chime in on the Unspoken Cool Rules of the river country nowadays

So, your truck's ok right, new fuel filter and fuel pump maybe, not locked up right? I think I would not want to be that guy, having to live with himself even if he doesn't get caught, or live with his friends and maybe his son whoever else was there for that. Might have seemed funny at the time, but they still have to live with that, totally screwing with someone's rig...........oooohhhh, not cool Gonna probably come back to ya somehow boys, whoever you are, not gonna work out well for ya

Ten Hours in that little raft off the AK peninsula, blowin' NW 60, in November.... "the Power of Life and Death is in the Tongue," and Yes, God is Good !

Kodiakrain: I totally understand what you are saying about the loudness of the airboat. That is why we tried to be as courteous as possible. The hunting party below us (and I do not know if it was them or not) was not as mobile as us, so we went to great efforts to remain further upstream and away from their hunting area. However, once we had a moose down, it was our legal and moral obligation to ensure that the meat was properly cared for, which required that we travel the river corridor to ferry the meat out. Like you have stated, I would like to know if I violated any "unwritten code," because like many other hunters, I enjoy hunting not only for the meat, but also for the outdoor experience. But it should be noted that Alaska is big country, and gaining access to such places requires some form of transportation (most often boats or planes).

The truck is OK, but it did require a new fuel filter, pump, and a new set of injectors (it is a diesel). Very EXPENSIVE! I'm just thankful that we were able to limp it into Fairbanks, and we weren't stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Kodiakrain: I totally understand what you are saying about the loudness of the airboat. That is why we tried to be as courteous as possible. The hunting party below us (and I do not know if it was them or not) was not as mobile as us, so we went to great efforts to remain further upstream and away from their hunting area. However, once we had a moose down, it was our legal and moral obligation to ensure that the meat was properly cared for, which required that we travel the river corridor to ferry the meat out. Like you have stated, I would like to know if I violated any "unwritten code," because like many other hunters, I enjoy hunting not only for the meat, but also for the outdoor experience. But it should be noted that Alaska is big country, and gaining access to such places requires some form of transportation (most often boats or planes).

The truck is OK, but it did require a new fuel filter, pump, and a new set of injectors (it is a diesel). Very EXPENSIVE! I'm just thankful that we were able to limp it into Fairbanks, and we weren't stuck in the middle of nowhere.

I suspect the vandals were suffering from "Airboat envy" and if you just gave them your boat they would be happy to go up&down the river grinning like xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx..........oops did I just say that? dang dis keboard....?

Uncool

Originally Posted by Akgramps

I suspect the vandals were suffering from "Airboat envy" and if you just gave them your boat they would be happy to go up&down the river grinning like..........oops did I just say that? dang dis keboard....?

If that was supposed to be funny, It's not. How is your apparent racism relevant the subject at hand?

Bugle, Sounds like you were exceedingly Cool the way you dealt with that, and I agree, Animal down, Meat Preservation trumps being overly courteous.
There's enough room for everyone up here for them to Just Deal with your mode of transport.

Was just mentioning the noise factor as some might not realize it, as you obviously already have and handled it with CLASS

Ten Hours in that little raft off the AK peninsula, blowin' NW 60, in November.... "the Power of Life and Death is in the Tongue," and Yes, God is Good !

How does one get gravel out of a gas tank? That is a tough break. Sorry.
I'm not a huge fan of noisy craft when I'm hoping game will stick around, but you sure have every right legally to use it, and those who vandalized your truck are low-life jerks. As for them: what goes around comes around/reap what you sew, etc.

In all the trips I've done on the Haul Road, including leaving trucks at the boat launch for 5 days at a time, I've never had any problems. A guy I know stored some gas in Happy Valley out of site and out of mind. He posted a note on it saying please don't take it, their trip depends on this fuel, but somebody still stole it. At least these occurances are few and far between up here, but still unexcusable. Just as the racial comments sometimes posted here. I can't stand Obama, but being that my children are of the same mix of races as him, it gets a little under my skin to see people making fun at their ethnicity.

What's the difference driving an airboat up or down river and getting buzzed by super cubs ? I've killed all my moose within hearing distance of the hwy ,Do you hear me complaining about the the truckers driving over the rumble strips ? Yes airboats are loud but they do not scare off game that often .I drive by moose and bear all the time in my airboat and they just stand there and look
More then likely its what AKGRAMPS said about Envy. Don't worry KARMA is around the corner

With an issue like this, we can infer all we want who did it and why but the fact is we have no idea if it was other hunters or not.

As far as airboat etiquette, I suppose if it were me I'd have stopped at those other guys' camp and introduced myself and explained I was having to do trips to ferry loads, didn't mean to disturb them etc. Now sometimes that may not help, the other guys could be difficult and say screw you...but at least you made an effort. If possible I'd also try to idle past their camp on the way downstream rather than full bore, but I know that may not be possible if needing to be on step and have steerage.

Airboats can be like a 185 (or worse) going by right at ground level, but they are slower than a Cessna and so you hear them longer. For years now we've had numerous complaints about them from hunters and don't think that is going to change.

Having said that, I've had some float hunters out here who didn't appreciate me going back and forth with jon-boat and 25hp godevil. But after stopping and visiting with them...even offering to help (they were not floating but stationary, no raft or any way to travel the river) if they got a moose down away from camp, it smoothed things over greatly.

I guess my point on that is it goes a long ways to meet and greet folks, look them in the eye, shake their hand. Sorry you had such problems, glad you limped into town and the mechanics figured it out. I suppose another recommendation would be to install locking gas caps on your vehicle.

With an issue like this, we can infer all we want who did it and why but the fact is we have no idea if it was other hunters or not.

As far as airboat etiquette, I suppose if it were me I'd have stopped at those other guys' camp and introduced myself and explained I was having to do trips to ferry loads, didn't mean to disturb them etc. Now sometimes that may not help, the other guys could be difficult and say screw you...but at least you made an effort. If possible I'd also try to idle past their camp on the way downstream rather than full bore, but I know that may not be possible if needing to be on step and have steerage.

Airboats can be like a 185 (or worse) going by right at ground level, but they are slower than a Cessna and so you hear them longer. For years now we've had numerous complaints about them from hunters and don't think that is going to change.

Having said that, I've had some float hunters out here who didn't appreciate me going back and forth with jon-boat and 25hp godevil. But after stopping and visiting with them...even offering to help (they were not floating but stationary, no raft or any way to travel the river) if they got a moose down away from camp, it smoothed things over greatly.

I guess my point on that is it goes a long ways to meet and greet folks, look them in the eye, shake their hand. Sorry you had such problems, glad you limped into town and the mechanics figured it out. I suppose another recommendation would be to install locking gas caps on your vehicle.

Mark, Sound advice and well put, a excellent suggest to ease possible tension before it gets statred...! After we are all out there to enjoys ourselves. And hopefully help each other when the need arises.

Ya know kinda what I figure and call me on it if I am wrong but if they vandalize your vehicle up there this time of year are they not possibly putting your life in danger, with that take it as you may

Visions Steel/841-WELD(9353)"Rebellion is in my blood, I was born an American"
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Just as the racial comments sometimes posted here. I can't stand Obama, but being that my children are of the same mix of races as him, it gets a little under my skin to see people making fun at their ethnicity.

I have no problem with anyone till they lie, steal or cheat then I have a special word for them it doesn't matter race, color or creed

Visions Steel/841-WELD(9353)"Rebellion is in my blood, I was born an American"
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